HGAfter Colony

OZ-06MS Leo

The mass-production grunt suit that builds like a dream and poses like it means it.

MechaGrade Score

4.2/5

Leo · 1/144 · 2018

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2018

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

I did not expect a suit this humble to be one of the most satisfying kits in the whole HG lineup, but here we are.

The Leo is a simple three-runner build that skips stickers entirely and still delivers full knee bends, a genuinely free waist, and ankle rocking that most kits twice its price fumble. It is proof that Bandai's Gunpla Evolution Project treatment turns a background mook into a kit worth building more than once.

Best for: Builders who want a fast, cheap, sticker-free HG that actually poses well, and Gundam Wing fans finally getting a proper Leo

The full review

What it is

The Leo is Bandai's HG Evolution Project take on the mainstay grunt suit of OZ and the United Earth Sphere Alliance, the machine every Gundam Wing pilot had to cut through to get to the real fight. It comes together off just three runners, and I mean that as a compliment. There is a clarity to the parts breakdown that makes the whole build feel considered rather than cost-cut. Six colors show up molded in, the camera eye is a clear part instead of a paint job or sticker, and the whole thing snaps together with a confidence I do not usually get from a kit at this price. Finishing it in under an hour and still getting a suit that holds a dynamic pose was a genuine surprise.

The catch

This is a small, simple HG, so do not expect MG-level detail or a huge parts count. The frame is straightforward plastic, not an inner skeleton, so if you want the full mechanical undressed look this is not that kit. The rifle and shield are solid but it is not overloaded with extra weapon options beyond the 105mm rifle, shield, and twin beam sabers. A couple of builders note the all-molded-color approach means panel lines and small trim details reward a wash or a marker if you want them to pop, since nothing is pre-highlighted for you.

Who it's for

Grab this if you want an easy, satisfying, no-stickers build, if you are teaching someone to build their first Gunpla and want them to feel successful fast, or if you collect Gundam Wing background suits and have been waiting for a real HG Leo. It is also a great army-builder kit since the low part count means you can knock out three or four without burning out. Skip it if you specifically want a heavily detailed inner-frame experience or a suit loaded with alternate weapon loadouts, because this kit's whole appeal is doing less, better.

The build story

What the build is actually like, and the engineering worth knowing about.

The build itself is about as low-friction as HG gets. Gate placement is clean, nub marks land in places that barely need cleanup, and the instructions are more detailed than most HGs bother with, which matters when there is no sticker sheet to fall back on for color accuracy. Parts fit snugly without being a fight to snap together, and I never fought a joint or had a piece pop back apart mid-build.

The engineering is where this kit earns its score. The double-jointed knees, ball-and-socket ankles, and rotating waist give it a pose range that punches well above its three-runner simplicity, and the shoulder joints tilt forward enough to get real dynamic arm positions. The shield mounts to the shoulder with actual articulation of its own, and both beam sabers store on the back of it, a small touch that makes the whole loadout feel thought through rather than tacked on.

Lore & trivia

01The Leo was developed by OZ engineer Seis Clark using data from the OZ-00MS Tallgeese, but redesigned for ease of production and use by ordinary soldiers rather than raw performance.
02First fielded in AC 175, the Leo remained OZ and the United Earth Sphere Alliance's mainstay mobile suit for two decades with only minor upgrades, thanks to its adaptability and wide range of compatible hand weapons.
03This HGAC release was the 4th entry in Bandai's Gunpla Evolution Project, built around a 'Fine Build' concept that eliminated color-correcting stickers entirely, a rarity for the HG line.